Apparatus is known by means of which free-flowing solids may be dispensed where such materials are in the form of powders, granules, pellets and the like. As illustrative but non-limitative examples such devices can handle sugar, flour, corn starch, salt, coffee, powdered metals, small ballbearings, powdered and granular solid fuels and grains such as rice, wheat and barley as well as chemicals, pharmaceuticals and so forth.
One such known device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 829,018 which issued Aug. 21, 1906 to F. Kiefer. Therein is illustrated a plurality of vertically disposed passages having upper and lower covers which are disc segments which rotate together but which, as will be seen hereinafter, are differently related to one another and thus function in a different manner from the arrangements contemplated within the scope of the present invention. In addition, the disc segments of the Kiefer Patent are manipulated by a handle 19 which is distinguishable from the drive arrangement of the invention which will be described in detail hereinafter.
A measuring vessel is furthermore shown in the W. H. Cloud U.S. Pat. No. 614,646 which issued Nov. 22, 1898. Herein disc segments are provided which are separately movable and which are manipulatable dependently of one another such that the arrangement operates in a manner distinguishable from that which will be be described hereinbelow.
Of more recent vintage, the G. E. Weir U.S. Pat. No. 2,877,937, which issued Mar. 17, 1959, utilizes upper and lower shutters disposed above and below a cylinder and cooperative therewith to admit materials through the upper part of the cylinder and to discharge the same from the lower part of the cylinder. This patented structure is distinguishable from the structure which is to be described in detail hereinbelow in the arrangement of the upper and lower shutters and in the technique employed for driving the same.
In the K. Minamiyama U.S. Pat. No. 3,260,415, which issued July .[.Minamiyama.]. 12, 1966, there is also described a particulate solid material discharge apparatus which employs upper and lower shutters in connection with a cylindrical member divided into a plurality of parallel passages. The upper and lower shutters are, however, distinguishable from those of the instant Application and, thus, the apparatus of Minamiyama functions differently from that to be described below.
In addition to the aforesaid, there is described in the W. K. Kleysteuber U.S. Pat. No. 3,554,406, a rotary apparatus for feeding granular material into an evacuated receiver. Not only is the measuring and distribution portion of this apparatus distinguishable from that of the instant invention but furthermore the drive employed includes an electric motor which makes the arrangement substantially more complicated and expensive than that which is contemplated in accordance with the instant invention.
Other patents which disclose measuring and dispensing devices or portions thereof include the R. V. Graham U.S. Pat. No. 1,684,313, the E. Riendeau U.S. Pat. No. 2,250,968, the L. N. Duncan U.S. Pat. No. 2,750,072, the W. J. Dobkin U.S. Pat. No. 2,878,970 and the H. F. Techtmann U.S. Pat. No. 3,477,617. These patents are all distinguishable from the subject matter of the instant invention as will be apparent from the detailed description which follows hereinafter.